


Tell Me How You Would

by celeste9



Category: Primeval
Genre: Courtship, F/F, First Kiss, Reality TV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2014-07-27
Packaged: 2018-02-10 16:22:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 809
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2031750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/celeste9/pseuds/celeste9
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emily and Jess discuss Victorian courtship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell Me How You Would

**Author's Note:**

> For 'courtship rituals' on my Primeval bingo card. Thanks to deinonychus_1 for the prompt.

“That’s terribly forward of him,” Emily said, frowning rather intently at the television.

Jess was certain that Emily was looking far too serious for a person who was watching a trashy reality dating programme, but then, it was Emily. She tended towards the dreadfully serious in all things. “Why? Because he’s kissed her? I think it’s sweet.”

“He looks as though he’s attempting to devour her.”

“Hmm,” Jess said. Emily had a point. “Yes, he is perhaps a bit aggressive.”

“Is this really how young people court each other?”

Jess giggled, and then stopped, hoping Emily wouldn’t think she was poking fun. “They call it reality TV but really, there’s nothing ‘real’ about it.”

“I see. There does seem to be a lot of kissing.”

“Didn’t you have kissing in Victorian times?” Jess asked, and then felt stupid. Of course they had kissing. She was an idiot.

But Emily wasn’t looking at her like she thought Jess was the stupidest person she had ever met. She only said, “Yes, but it wasn’t an act to be done so freely, not if you were courting properly. Henry didn’t kiss me until we were married.” Emily fell into silence, unhappily.

“Didn’t Henry…” Jess stopped. She didn’t know what to say.

Emily forced a smile that seemed fake. “Henry did his duty and little more.”

That sounded horrible. Jess knew that Emily’s marriage had been an unhappy one, and she knew what had become of Henry in the end, but it was different to actually hear Emily speak of it, to see her distress. It made Jess feel upset on Emily’s behalf. Emily deserved… Emily deserved _everything._ She deserved someone who would love her for the extraordinary person she was. She deserved the best, and what she had got was pain and hardship.

In an attempt to divert attention from such gloomy matters, Jess asked, “What would a proper courtship have been like, then?”

“Well,” Emily began thoughtfully, “it was all very formal. There were rules about how one was allowed to proceed and so on. There was always a chaperone. Couples would speak together, or dance, and eventually walk out together.”

“That doesn’t sound too different. I mean, aside from all the rules. And the chaperones. That makes it sound like being back at school.”

“Yes. And of course, I haven’t mentioned the coming out, when a young woman was introduced to society. No woman could be courted before her coming out.”

“I would have liked that! Imagine the dress I could’ve worn!”

Emily smiled. “The dresses were beautiful, yes. But marriage was a way to secure position and wealth, so we were often… nudged in a particular direction, shall we say.” She stopped talking, and Jess knew she was thinking about Henry again. Emily’s family had chosen Henry for her.

After a moment, though, she continued, “When courting it was customary to offer gifts. Small things, flowers, chocolates, a book. Sheet music.”

Jess made an involuntary sound that was something between a giggle and a snort. “Sheet music?”

“Every accomplished lady could play, of course,” Emily said primly.

“Oh, of course,” Jess said, which made Emily laugh a little. “I don’t know, it sounds nice. Dancing and gifts and everything. Just… formal.”

“I suppose. Yes, that’s a good word for it. Passionate love affairs of the sort you seem to favour now were discouraged at all costs.”

Jess looked down at her hands. “That’s sad.”

“Perhaps.”

“So,” Jess said, looking to brighten the mood again, “if you were courting me, what would you do?”

She meant it as a joke, but Emily turned on the sofa until she was facing Jess more fully, folding one leg up underneath her. She said, entirely seriously, holding Jess’ eyes, “If I were courting you, I would bring you flowers, orchids for your beauty, daisies for your innocence, gladioli for your strength of character, and yellow carnations for your cheerful spirit. And then I would bring you red tulips.”

Jess was staring wide-eyed at Emily. She swallowed. “What… what are the red tulips for?”

“Those are to declare my love.”

“Oh,” Jess squeaked. “Um… I… I… Well, that sounds, um, amazing, really, but if I were courting you, I would just do this.” Then she leaned forward and pressed her lips to Emily’s.

Jess wasn’t certain what she was doing, but Emily had been gazing at her so intently, and Jess had maybe thought about what this would feel like, and Emily’s lips felt nice, and the _red tulips_ -

Their mouths were the only parts of them that were touching and when they stopped kissing, they were simply sitting apart again. Jess chewed her lip nervously, trying to think of something clever to say.

Then Emily said, “I must admit that there may be something to say for kissing as a courtship ritual.”

**_End_ **


End file.
